The Human Foundations of Climate Resilience: Mental Health, Culture, Policy, and Action
Wednesday 23 September | 10:30AM - 12:30PM Deutsches Haus, New York University (42 Washington Mews)
Climate change is not only transforming environments; it is reshaping mental health, well-being, belonging, identity, and how people imagine the future. This event brings together researchers, policymakers, artists, and community leaders for an integrated conversation moving from evidence to culture to policy to community action.
"The Human Foundations of Climate Resilience: Mental Health, Culture, Policy, and Action,” is an an interdisciplinary roundtable taking place at New York University held as part of UNGA Healing Arts Week and alongside NYC Climate Week.
Beginning with emerging evidence on the mental health impacts of climate change, the discussion will explore how culture and the arts help communities make meaning, sustain connection, respond to loss and uncertainty; consider how mental health, psychosocial well-being, and cultural continuity can be better reflected in climate policy and international environmental frameworks; and examine locally led approaches that translate these ideas into action.
The roundtable will contribute to a shared document articulating the necessity of working across disciplinary and institutional silos toward cohesive, sustained, and effective climate-health action.
The roundtable is convened by:
- Manasi Kumar, PhD, Professor, NYU Grossman School of Medicine; Co-Lead, Lancet Commission on Climate Change and Mental Health
- Nisha Sajnani, PhD, Professor, NYU Steinhardt; Founding Co-Director, Jameel Arts & Health Lab; Lead, WHO Policy Brief on Arts, Health, and Climate Change
- Burcin Ikiz, PhD, Founder and Director, EcoNeuro, and Founder and Chair, NeuroClimate Working Group
- Gary Belkin, MD, PhD, Founder, Billion Minds; Former Deputy Health Commissioner, NYC
- Özge Karadağ, MD, PhD, Professor of Public Health, BAU School of Medicine
Register here.
Artwork: Amanda Lovelee, U.S. Cultural Policy Fellow
Roundtable Speakers
Manasi Kumar, PhD, Professor, NYU Grossman School of Medicine; Co-Lead, Lancet Commission on Climate Change and Mental Health
Nisha Sajnani, PhD, Professor, NYU Steinhardt; Founding Co-Director, Jameel Arts & Health Lab; Lead, WHO Policy Brief on Arts, Health, and Climate Change
Burcin Ikiz, PhD, Founder and Director, EcoNeuro, and Founder and Chair, NeuroClimate Working Group
Gary Belkin, MD, PhD, Founder, Billion Minds; Former Deputy Health Commissioner, NYC
Özge Karadağ, MD, PhD, Professor of Public Health, BAU School of Medicine
Daisy Fancourt, PhD is Professor of Psychobiology & Epidemiology and Head of the Social Biobehavioural Research Group at UCL
Nils Fietje, PhD is a founder of the Jameel Arts & Health Lab and Technical Officer within the Behavioural and Cultural Insights (BCI) Unit at the WHO Regional Office for Europe
Dan Dodgen, PhD, Member, Climate Change Advisory Committee, American Psychological Association
Zeinab Hijazi, PhD, Global Mental Health Lead, UNICEF
Amanda Lovelee, U.S. Cultural Policy Fellow, Stanford University, and Co-Founder, CAIR Lab
George D. Thurston, ScD, Professor of Medicine and Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine
Gabe Twose, International Affairs, American Psychological Association
Harry Winer, Arts Professor and Co-Director, Green Film School Alliance, NYU
Wuyue Yu, PhD, Researcher, NYU Grossman School of Medicine
Conveners
Manasi Kumar, Nisha Sajnani, Burcin Ikiz, Gary Belkin, and Özge Karadağ
Partners
NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Steinhardt, with Representatives from WHO, UNESCO UNICEF, American Psychological Association, and BAU School of Medicine